


Phases of The Moon

by TheChocoChick



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, For TDP Big Bang, Mostly Cannon Compliant, Origin Story, Young Lujanne
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2020-09-01 19:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20263573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheChocoChick/pseuds/TheChocoChick
Summary: There is a place of unchallenged primal power on the far side of Xadia's borders, where a great and powerful mage is always standing guard. But even elves do not live forever, and as the current Guardian of the Moon Nexus grows older, and humans settle ever closer to the caldera, it is time for his successor to be chosen.His new apprentice though? Well, he's not quite what she was expecting.(For the TDP Big Bang on Tumblr!)





	Phases of The Moon

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy!

The air wrapped around her shoulders, hot and heavy as they plodded through the trees on horseback. Klaus rode on slightly ahead, his short hair ruffling in the warm summer breeze, catching in the dying light of the sun.

“Ughhhhh, how much longer?” she groaned. “It’s hot.”

“My will to deal with your impatience is already growing thin, Kata. I’d suggest you don’t test it further.” Klaus didn’t even turn to address her anymore, clearly hoping for a quiet journey’s end, and to be back on his way home. After two weeks of traveling with her constant questions and pranks though, she couldn’t really blame him. Not that she felt particularly inclined to stop though, either.

“I’m _bored._”

“So you’ve mentioned. Perhaps instead of pestering me, though, you can use this time to reflect on what you’ll do when we arrive.”

“Do you,” she paused, gulping a breath past the sudden knot in her throat. “Do you think the elders made the right choice? Picking me to come, that is?”

Klaus sighed. “Kata. You are a young mage with avid potential, everyone knows that. If the elders thought you could do this, then I trust their judgment, even if I can’t see the whole of some amazing revelation myself.”

“So you _wouldn’t_ have chosen me?”

“I’m saying I’m not the one suited to choose anybody. Now please, for the love of the moon, just ride. We’re nearly there.”

She dutifully quieted, losing herself in thought as the trees slowly began to thin out. With a wave of her hand, a small silvery rabbit appeared to play with her horse, taking her away to a different time.

_ “You always know how to make me smile, darling,” her mother said, petting the illusion bunny sitting in her lap. _

_ “Keep it up, Kata,” father had added. “One day those skills might take you somewhere amazing!”_

Somewhere amazing indeed… all the way across the border, away from her friends…

But all thoughts of home vanished as they crossed the tree line, coming up on a large ridge overlooking a valley. The grasses swayed high, rippling softly in the breeze as the setting sun bathed the open swaths of land in gold, the only shadow coming from the caldera in the distance.

“We rest here tonight,” Klaus said, swinging off his horse with ease and pointing to the rise in the distance. “And in the morning, you will be delivered to the crest.”

“That’s where we’re going?” Kata asked awe and trepidation warring in her chest.

Klaus denied her an answer as he set about making camp.

***

That night, Kata couldn’t sleep. Even though Klaus had helped her make a delicious stew that sat warm in her belly, and she rested on a good, soft sleeping mat under the stars, she was ill at ease. Every skitter from animals in the underbrush had her tensing, and her mind refused to calm down.

After tossing and turning for several hours, she gave up and flopped onto her back, watching as the moon tracked its way across the sky. It made little sense to her why she should be nervous now when she was so close. She’d set out from her old home with confidence, her head held high as she left with the elders’ pride at her back and their pendant of safe travels around her neck.

But with the caldera in the distance, worry settled into the pit of her stomach.

What if the guardian didn’t like her? What if they thought she wasn’t a good choice? What would she learn if she stayed? And then there was the question that weighed most heavily on her heart.

What if she _failed_?

If the guardian should turn her out, where would she go? She’d be a disgrace to her home, and to her family, to her very Moonshadow nature- she’d never be welcomed back in the village. And the other elves wouldn’t welcome her, the humans _certainly _wouldn’t either…

“You think very loudly, Kata,” Klaus sighed from his bedroll across from the fire. “What’s bothering you?”

“Why would I be bothered?” The attempt at being blasé fell flat with her shaking voice.

Klaus sighed and shook his head, ruffling through his pack, producing a small bundle of herbs before making his way to crouch next to her.

“You are a _strong _spirit, Kata,” he said, gesturing with the bundle. “Whatever comes of tomorrow, I believe the elders chose you _because_ you are strong and because you are _unique_. Besides, you are a Moonshadow- fear has no place in your heart, nor is it needed.” He plucked a small sprig of purple leaves and pressed it into her palm. “Now, put those in your pillow and get some sleep- you’ll need your rest for the climb.”

“You really think I can handle this?” she asked softly, tucking the sweet, earthy smelling leaves under her head.

The dying fire flickered across Klaus’s hair as he fixed her with a rare, reassuring smile.

“You’ll do just fine.”

***

Her mouth was dry as she stared up towards the summit, shifting her bag in her arms. One of the horses whinnied and pushed its nose against her shoulder, almost as though to say _go on, don’t be late! _

“And here, we part ways, Kata.”

Klaus stood beside her, severe-looking as ever in the mid-morning light while he went through his saddlebags. After a moment he produced a small, dark blue bag with its black drawstrings pulled tight.

“Your mother asked me to give this to you when we arrived,” he said, holding it out. “She instructed that you’re not to open it until tonight.”

“I… Thank you, Klaus,” she finally answered lamely.

He put a hand on her shoulder, squeezing quickly before dropping it. “You’ll do great, Kata.” He swung back up onto his horse. “Well? Don’t just stand there! The guardian is waiting for you!”

Right. She placed the gift in her bag, adjusting the strap over her shoulder. Putting on a brave face, she nodded once to her companion before turning heel and making her way up the slope. Just before she crossed the tree line, she turned back, and Klaus raised his hand. An encouragement- and a farewell.

The heavy reality that she would never see him again settled over her as she faced the mountain once again, stalking into the trees and away from her old life forever.

***

The sun was well on its way into the sky when Kata finally stopped for a break. Thus far, the climb had been relatively easy. Aside from whoever was at the top, the mountain should be devoid of people, and the creatures hadn’t bothered her other than following her through the trees. She didn’t mind- she could tell they were all small things by the quiet rustles they made moving from place to place. And really, could she blame them for being curious? Few people came up the slope if she understood correctly, and even fewer who weren’t out to steal whatever great power rested at the summit.

She took one last, long drag from her waterskin before standing with a stretch and resuming her way through the trees, the path quickly becoming more difficult as the incline increased. There was chatter now, as animals flocked about her, peeking out of the underbrush as their strange new guest entered a clearing.

A large rustle in the foliage drew her attention across the clearing. Whatever it was, it was big, and she slowly knelt down and grabbed a sturdy looking stick from the ground. She didn’t like the idea of hurting an animal, but if it caused a problem with her trying to get where she was going, she wouldn’t have much of a choice.

A sigh of relief left her as a couple of foxes scurried out of the leaves, stopping stalk still when they looked at her. They must have been playing together, and the racket made them sound bigger than they were. She laughed, and flicked the stick away into the trees, relaxing.

“Well aren’t you two cute?” She cooed.

The small creatures continued to gaze at her, a raccoon and small doe following out of the brush, all with their eyes trained on the Moonshadow in the middle of the clearing. And then, a puff of hot, moist breath broke against the back of her neck.

Whirling around with a yelp, she fell back onto her hands as the large banther stalked closer. It took her several precious seconds to get her wits together and scramble back to her feet, slowly backing away as more animals started to emerge, closing in to form a tight circle as they backed her into a large tree.

The massive beast approached, the long white stripe on its nose stark against the rest of its black fur. Other creatures from the woods filled in behind her, large and small alike, and she glanced around with a silent curse. They’d cornered her.

The sound of a twig breaking brought her back to the banther, who’s intense eyes looked on with almost sentient clarity, and it clicked. This beast was no ordinary animal. It stood in front of her for a moment, its ring of minions closing in behind it once it came forward. Now close enough that she could feel the warm pants of breath on her face, Kata made a choice. She straightened her back against the tree, meeting the bather’s eyes and doing her best to look formidable.

It raised a large paw, its claw glinting long and sharp in the sunlight as it gently reached forward, the elders’ pendant bright against its dark fur. A rumble reverberated from its chest as it looped a claw around the cord and tugged, flinging it to the ground. The beast picked it up, the soft leather dangling from its mouth and leaving the pendant to hang free.

The other animals seemed almost to snap out of a trance, shaking off whatever just happened and scattering back into the trees, even as the banther tilted its head at her, moving to the edge of the clearing.

What was she supposed to do? She needed that necklace to prove to the guardian who she was! The creature growled again, jerking its head roughly upwards, its uncanny eyes never leaving hers.

“What,” she gulped. “What are you trying to tell me?”

It jerked again, shaking the necklace in its mouth and taking another step towards the trees. She took a few steps, and it took a few steps back, tilting its head once more when she stopped. Kata put one foot in front of the other, and for each step, the banther retreated.

She smiled, brushing some dirt off her clothes as she got the message.

“Well then,” she grinned. “Lead on.”

***

The beast weaved through the trees, keeping just in sight of the young Moonshadow as they make the journey up the mountainside, often pausing to look back and make sure she was still following. Many other animals wove their way across their path, some even running up to the larger animal to zoom around playfully.

After several hours, the imperceptible trail the banther was following began to level out, and Kata sighed with relief. They were nearly to the top. She drug her feet a few steps further, her eyes sliding shut for several long moments as she continued. She could do this. She was almost there…

All at once, the soft and springy forest floor was absent beneath her feet, shocking her eyes open to behold a beautiful stone path cutting through the trees. The banther circled back around, pressing its head into her back, urging her forward as it took off across the walkway. She had to run to keep pace, following as rock structures overtook the forest.

A gasp escaped her lips as the trees broke away to reveal magnificent stone buildings and archways, each adorned with ancient runes and designs. While a fair portion of the center pavilion lay in ruins, it was all the more beautiful.

It was to this pavilion that the banther ran, Kata could see, all the way up to a massive stone in the middle- where a man sat adorned in Moonshadow blue.

“It’s about time you got here,” he said without turning to face her. “I thought Minia wouldn’t be back before dark at the rate you were going.”

The banther dropped her pendant into the man’s lap, rubbing up against him before curling by his feet with a loud purr. He tucked the necklace into his pocket, standing and facing her in one fluid movement.

“If you are to stay, I suppose we should make our introductions.” His grin was kind on his aging, and hope blossomed in her chest. “I am Tentaarin- the Guardian of the Moonhenge and Nexus. Would I be correct in assuming your Kata?”

“Um, yes sir, I am.” Her fingers fiddled with her tunic. Was she supposed to do something? Should she kneel as she did for the elders?

“I’m pleased to meet you,” Tentaarin said, as the banther brushed against his legs again. “Oh, and of course you’ve met Minia- she’s my companion and familiar.”

“I’ve, uh, never seen a banther before today. Just in books…” Moon above, she felt awkward.

“Oh, she’s not a banther, not really,” he chuckled, motioning for her to follow as he hopped down from his perch. “Minia is a _Tibaris_\- a spirit that takes the form of an animal and serves a mortal for the duration of their life. One day, should things go according to plan, you’ll have one as well.”

“Woah,” she muttered under her breath, gulping when Minia once again turned her overly-aware stare in her direction.

“But that’s for another day,” her new mentor continued, walking up the few steps to one of the smaller stone buildings. “You’ve traveled far and had a hard day’s climb. During your time as my student, you will live here. The whole set of rooms inside are yours to use as you see fit. I do expect you to keep it clean and presentable, along with yourself. Is that understood?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Tonight you will rest. You are free to move about the ruins as you wish, aside from taking the North path. Your first time there should be supervised. Any questions?” She shook her head, trying to keep up with the information. “Excellent. I’ll be back an hour after dark with dinner. You’re free to do as you please until then.”

“Thank you,” she rushed out, even as he turned heel and walked away, Minia sashaying after him like a shadow.

***

The rooms were small but cozy, and Kata doubted she would ever find a way to fill them all anyway. One had a sturdy oak desk set in front of the window, already equipped with paper and ink quills, the stopper firmly wedged into their matching well. A larger bedroom rested behind a carved door towards the back, with a vanity in the corner and a big, fluffy-looking bed in the center of the room.

It was on said bed that Kata rested after Tentaarin had come by with food to explain the remaining rules he had, including not going up the north path. The soft, thick blue material of her mother’s pouch rested in her hands as she traced the silver designs with a finger. It felt heavy in her palms, although she knew most of the weight was coming from her imagination.

She probably sat there for the better part of an hour, debating on whether or not she should stick it in the drawer of the bedside table and ignore it was even there for a while. After all, this was the last remaining shred of home. Once she opened this gift her mother had secreted to her, that was it- the entirety of her old life would be left behind forever.

With a huff, she dropped the bag onto the thick comforter and plopped backward, her head bouncing slightly off the pillows. Her fingers tapped away at her sides, one plucking at a loose thread in the blanket. It was almost like the bag by her feet was tugging at her, singing a siren song of curiosity.

_I should bathe before bed, _she thought, crawling off the bed. All the while though, her thoughts kept drifting back to the blue bag in the bedroom, where her mother’s last token of affection was waiting for her.

After brushing her hair and watching it in the vanity’s mirror, she decided she was being foolish. The plush material soaked up a bit of the remaining dampness on her hands, the nerves from before once again shooting to the forefront of her mind.

A small item wrapped in purple fabrics fell out once the drawstrings were loosened, along with a small folded sheet of paper. A note?

_Kata, my little moonbeam,_

_ I have always made a point to encourage your special skills, including your gifts in regards to our peoples’ arcanum. I’ve watched with pride as you’ve grown from a child into a strong young woman, a hope for our community, and a shining beacon of joy for your father and I._

_ I know the likely hood of us meeting again is now very small, as you go out to have a great journey and serve in a wonderful and honorable calling. I know not what all will lie in store for you on this grand adventure, but I do wish to let you know that both mine and your father’s love goes with you._

_ Traditionally, I’d have given you this on your wedding day, but as fate has seen it fit that I will not be present for such an occasion, I’ve chosen to give it to you now. _

Unwrapping the silky purple cloth, the necklace that had always draped over her mother’s neck glinted gently in the moonlight.

_This was my mother’s, and her mother’s before her, so on and so forth for nearly ten generations. Now, it becomes yours. Wear it with pride, my daughter, and know that as long as you have it, your family is with you._

_ All my Love, Pride, and Joy - Mother_

Tears pricked at her eyes, the smooth opal stone comforting in her hands, lulling her to sleep in a strange new place.

***

“You’re supposed to be focusing your mind, Kata.”

After being caught with wandering thoughts for the third time that morning, she gave up trying and flopped onto her back.

“We’ve been focusing for _hours_,” she groaned. “When are we going to start with some real training? Moon magic beyond belief, making a difference for elven kind? That stuff.”

“You will progress to such things when I deem you worthy,” her master answered, shooting her an annoyed glance. “Now, sit and meditate. It’s going to be an important part of your basics, and if you are ever to progress then you must master this first.”

“I’ve been meditating for years; I think it’s safe to say I’m ready for more!”

“Yes, you’ve been meditating since you came into your responsibilities as a Moonshadow, and yet you still lack the patience for reflection. Either you are not ready, or the caliber of spirituality has fallen to a new low since I came up here.”

With a grumble, she settled back into her position at the base of his rock. “Fine.” She knew meditation was important, Moonshadows were trained from childhood to connect themselves to the dualities of life, not that Kata really enjoyed the whole ‘sit here and do nothing’ part of her training back home.

But still, she dutifully sat, her hands folded primly in her lap as the sun rose ever higher in the sky. The wiggling of her toes in her boots and the shifting of her shoulders from time to time were small enough distractions that Tentaarin didn’t seem to care to rebuke her for them.

After another hour plodded by, her master gave out a great sigh, rising nimbly to his feet.

“Alright, I suppose that will be enough for today,” he said, watching as she clambered up. “Now, your basics will begin.”

“I’m ready! What is it? Secret moon rituals? Ancient texts?”

“Oh,” he answered with a sly grin. “I have got just the thing for you.”

***

She grumbled at her distorted reflection frowning back at her from the suds on the floor. When Tentaarin had said he had important work for her, she didn’t really expect it to include washing the stones with a scrub brush or trimming back the plants.

But here she was- her hands turning into rolls of wrinkles from the soapy water she was using to clean as his words turned over and over in her head.

_“You have to show the Nexus respect. This place holds more than just us, and you will not proceed with your training until I feel you are ready for it.”_

Yeah, right. More in the way of old dilapidated ruins and overgrowing rose and moonberry bushes. Old man Tentaarin was turning out to be less of the mentor she’d dreamed about and more like her old fighting instructor; stiff, hard set, opinionated, and totally missing the point of her skills.

And, dare she say it, after a week and a half of nothing but learning about how to be a cleaner slaving away all day, she was rather fed up with it. There were some days her teacher would walk by and calmly point out things she’d missed, and part of her wanted to rip the bushes up by the roots and hurl the stones down the mountainside just to prove how much he was irritating her.

But it was always her mother’s old mantra that kept her from the brink of absolute anarchy. _Never lash out in anger, moonbeam. A warrior’s heart must be controlled by a warrior’s mind._

So she washed the paths, and the marbled floors of the ruins, and she pruned back the leaves around the walkways, and weeded out undesirables from around their roots, all day- every day, for another week.

By then, it was almost like second nature. During morning meditation, she would sit quietly and go over what all might need care in her mind. Her disappointment had ebbed, the work no longer feeling like a punishment as much as a quiet time to contemplate her own thoughts.

On particularly hard days, where she simply didn’t feel herself, she’d pause for a moment in the evenings, somewhere quiet in the brush, and him an old song her mother used to sing to her as a small child. It was during one of these moments, with her hands gently threading into the leaves of a small flowering plant, that the large black banther sidled up to her, flopping to its side and curling against her legs with a purr.

One hand absentmindedly moved to stroke the thick fur around Minia’s neck and ears as Kata spied the beast’s elvish pair a ways down the steps, and she raised a hand in a relaxed wave with a smile before turning back to petting.

She was so caught up in enjoying the hour, she missed his smile.

***

“Leave them,” Tentaarin said sternly, steering Kata away from her usual tools for her chores. “We’re doing something different today.”

He clapped her on the shoulder, making his way down one of the many pathways to a large circle of soft dirt. Without a word, he picked up a staff from a small rack outside the border and tossed it to her, twirling his own in one hand before stamping its butt into the dust.

“Today, you get to prove you’ve got the metal to be a guardian. It’s not all weeding gardens and polishing the pavers. If you are going to defend, you have to be able to fight, and fight clean.” He took up a stance. “Rules- no magic, no running, and no surrender. Understood?”

“What do you mean no magic? Magic is kind of my thing!” she huffed.

“If you can’t fight one on one without your arcanum to boost you, then you aren’t ready.”

In response, she rolled her eyes and brought the staff in front of her. They traded a few quick blows, testing each other for weakness or flaw in stance. After a few minutes, things picked up, and Tentaarin surprised her with his speed. A few minutes more had her on her side in the dirt, gasping for air after her elder’s quarterstaff had found its way into her side with enough force to make her feet momentarily leave the ground.

“This is the best you have to offer?” His words were cold as he regarded her prone form.

“Not even close,” she growled. “You’ll never get to see what I’m made of if you never let me use my magic! It's ingrained into my fighting style! Forcing me to go without it is forcing me to play by your style.”

“It’s a discipline.”

“It’s a handicap! Just because I use my natural talents to fight doesn’t mean I’m not a good fighter! Its something I need to-“

“Then it is something I will train you for until you no longer depend on it,” he cut in sharply. “We will spar every day after meditation, and you will not be permitted to use the arcanum for a moment of it, whether you like it or not. Now, get about your chores.”

Perhaps it was petulant to stomp off like a child, but she took satisfaction in the hard footfalls.

***

Weeks passed, and while the training did bring a new line of definition to her muscles, she saw little improvement overall. Every time she thought she might finally have the upper hand, her mentor made a quick move that ended with her sprawled in the dirt.

After another failure to win a spar, she wandered up to her favorite place to meditate, breathing in deeply through her nose and out through her mouth. But something… didn’t feel right. She tried to focus harder, but the little tug in her mind only grew more persistent.

An array of colors danced behind her lids, taking on the sharp image of Tentaarin and MInia, walking down the caldera as they often did. Only this time, they were not alone. The vision depicted two large people wrapped in shining armor, their softly rounded ears poking through their hair.

Humans.

Her eyes flew open as that feeling inside her urged her to run, to assist before it was too late. As her fingers curled around a quarterstaff and her feet flew down the incline, the sharp cut of the vision echoed in her mind. A flash of steel here, a grab for advantage there, until at last the picture stood before her in truth.

Tentaarin lay prone on the ground, blood oozing from a wound across his chest as Minia lept from the shadows and drug his companion away. He bellowed, raising his blade high with the clear intention to strike her master down, and Kata rushed forward.

Her staff met with a solid crunch against his ribs, the man screaming as he turned to face her, fury in his gaze. For once, she was really glad her old teachers had pushed her so hard on the combat parts of their culture. Moonshadows were fighters, and this human was about to learn it.

But it was growing clear rather quickly that what she had in training, he outdid in sheer size and force.

Tentaarin said she wasn’t a real fighter until she could win without magic, but with the human intruder bearing down on her, she was running out of options quick. Time to break the rules.

She took a deep breath in, commanding the world around her to bend to her desire, feeling the sky grow dark and wind pick up through the trees, ripping at her hair. She willed the strongest image that she could, illusions of moonlight pooling from her eyes, suddenly seeming taller, sturdier, and pushing her magic to emit an aura so vast, the human would have no choice but to tremble in fear.

Images of nature’s largest, most terrifying predators crawled into existence from the underbrush, and she could feel the whole world shake as she spoke, her illusion cementing into place.

_ “You will leave this place, and you will leave it now, lest you become one with my eternal herd.”_

The blade slipped from the man’s fingers, his jaw hanging lax and eyes blowing wide. A catch on a root was enough to sprawl him out backward, where he quickly made to turn tail and flee, only to be caught up in the massive jaws of the resident familiar.

Kata spared him enough to look away as he was punished for his trespassing, electing instead to let her magic fade and move to her still lying master. His wound was deep, though thankfully the bleeding was slow and sluggish.

“Kata,” he groaned, only to be hushed by his pupil.

It took a fair bit of effort, but she managed to return him to the summit with Minia’s help before the sun kissed the horizon. Her mother had been a healer, and that passed-on knowledge came to use well as Kata smeared various concoctions across the slash to numb the pain and keep away infection.

When all was said and done, she sat with him well into the night, watching the moon rise.

“You… did well today,” Tentaarin said softly at last. “It was a thrilling, magnificent illusion you cast.”

“I’ve been telling you,” she said with a small smile as she adjusted a few bandages. “I have talents that I use to make myself more effective.”

“When I’m back on my feet we’ll work them into your training.”

In the quiet moonlight, she offered a grin, knowing she was one step closer to where she was meant to be going.

***

It took time for the wounds to heal, even with Kata’s aid and moon magic. As soon as he could get his legs over the side of the bed though, she couldn’t convince him to rest any longer. They didn’t fight hand to hand anymore, instead stretching the abilities of her magic.

One day, once he was able to walk without too much limping and his chest had begun to scar, he led her up the north path at sundown, all the way to an outlook that rested high above an earth cradled lake. She rested against the low wall, watching in awe as the moon rose to reflect nearly perfectly across the water, missing only the barest sliver of light in its edge.

“_This _is what we are protecting, Kata,” he said softly as he sat on a bench. “This is the heart of the Nexus, and on the full moon, the lake perfectly reflects the power of the arcanum, making this the stronghold of every Moonshadow’s arcane strength. And we serve a purpose beyond that as well.”

“Like what?” Her voice came out quiet, reverent almost, as the delicate white light rippled with the waves below, almost beckoning her to them.

“You’ll learn in time,” her master answered. “It will take a great deal of time, but one day you will stand here, and you’ll know.”

***

Summer… autumn… winter… spring…

The seasons cycled by, once, then twice, continuing on in their natural march until the lanky Moonshadow girl who had come to the Nexus melted away into a woman who held herself with confidence. A girl who hadn’t been able to fight one on one with an elderly man now stood victorious over a herd of large opponents, and spoke to her master as less of a student, and more as a friend.

“I grow tired,” Tentaarin sighed after a long day.

“Perhaps you are simply growing old,” she teased, earning her a playfully sharp look and a halfhearted swat on the arm.

She took the masses of hair that had fallen loose through the day and twined them into a bun on her head, leaving a few long strands to hand freely beside her face. Minia nudged against her legs, a few of the other animals following suite.

“Kata,” her teacher said after a moment, drawing her back to him. “We’re going to meditate at the lookout tonight.”

“Understood,” she smiled. “I’ll meet you there after dark.”

***

When Tentaarin had said “_we,_” Kata thought he had meant they’d both be meditating. Instead, she found herself seated alone on a meditation stone, her form drinking in the moonlight as she cast her mind out into the world.

Over the years as the apprentice, she’d learned quite a lot about this part of the meditation. It was to focus the mind, yes, but there was so much more she’d never connected with before leaving her old home behind. But the last several times she’d tried to center herself, she felt as though she were in the wrong place. Tentaarin had assured her that such feelings were to be expected and that he’d be more concerned if she didn’t have that pit like feeling in her stomach.

Tonight was different though. Tonight, for the first time in over a week, meditation not only felt normal, it felt _right. _The calm that washed over her was all but overwhelming, and the whole world seemed to come to a standstill, like she was in her own little pocket of moonlight, never to be disturbed.

For a moment it felt like she was drifting off to sleep, her body jerking up suddenly and her eyes bolting wide, first from the reflex and then again from shock.

Ethereal pale moonlight twined in the air before her, the tendrils wafting in a spiral down to the water and up to the sky. Soft, pulsing glows emanated from runes marked along the side, and she found her feet moving almost of their own accord, crossing onto the small path leading downwards to the lake’s surface.

Water lapped at the edge of the lakebed, lifting from the lip ever so slightly and merging with the light. Something in her chest urged her to follow, pulling her in, onto this seemingly impossible path made from the night sky as fog closed in around her.

It was solid beneath her, steady and smooth as she circled the spiral, up, up, ever higher. _Keep going, _the light seemed to whisper. _Don’t stop. Keep going, all the way to the top, all the way back to the beginning._

“Its been quite a while since a guardian’s apprentice came through,” a woman’s voice said out of nowhere, breaking her from her trance. Kata followed the sound to see a beautiful woman with dark blue, almost black, hair and pale skin sitting cross-legged on the pathway. She cast her brilliant teal eyes upwards, to where the spiral curled in on itself, making a disk of light. “They call to everyone, that’s what they’re here for, after all. But you’ll need to be able to work without them distracting you if this is going to pan out correctly.”

“Who are you?” Kata asked, shaking off the dizziness she felt and trying to focus.

“You may call me Phoenah,” the spirit said with a kind smile. “I’ve been waiting for someone who would pass by and hear me.”

“You said that someone was calling,” Kata said softly, looking upwards again. “Who?”

“The guides,” Phoenah grinned, rising. “They call to the spirits, bringing them back to the start, so they can begin again. One day, you will too.”

“You’re sure about that?”

“You are to be the Guardian, no?” The spirit smiled. “Moonshadows are keepers of spirituality.”

“You realize Moonshadows are, in fact, renowned for being assassins, right? We aren’t some priest- like people,” Kata said.

“The average of your kind are as such, yes. But you, you have been trained to be something more. A Moonshadow may find their calling in death, but more importantly, your people have a calling for _spirit_.” She paused for a moment, only continuing after the apprentice gave her a look. “Life is not just existing and dying, little one. The soul is more than that. As the moon waxes and wanes, so does life, again and again. The Guardian protects the Nexus, so that the cycle of the soul may continue. Just look around you.”

Kata dutifully tried to peer through the gauzy white banks of mist surrounding her, taking a step back as a Sunfire brushed by suddenly, a copper-skinned human following shortly after, their gazes trained on the pulsing disc above.

“Those spirits on the other side of the veil call out to the wanderers here, gently guiding them to the next path along their spirit’s journey,” Phoenah continued. “When a spirit cannot, or chooses not to hear, it will be your duty to help them find their way.”

“Why can’t the spirits just stay here?” Kata asked, her natural curiosity coming to the forefront.

Phoenah put an arm around the Moonshadow’s shoulders, guiding her back down the steps. They passed a few more souls, all quiet, as though they had no idea they were there.

“This place is only a meeting ground- a place of easy access for this world to meet the next. A spirit who tries to stay too long will lose its way and will be lost without the energy it needs to thrive. A Guardian here can help catch those wayward souls before they wander too far.”

Moonlight turned back to the rocky banks of the lake as they started to climb back up.

“The time for change is coming, Kata,” the spirit beside her whispered, and Kata sucked in a sharp breath. She’d never told this woman her name…

Back in the lookout, Phoenah picked up a piece of rock from just outside the stone railing, turning it over in her hands, until it smoothly reshaped itself into the form of some type of bird. She placed it on the ledge, facing towards the apprentice as she was gently settled back onto her meditation rock.

“I’ll see you again soon,” the blue-haired woman smiled, giving a little wave as the fog pressed in around them.

Kata startled upright with a gasp, almost unconsciously moving to the railing, where the lake rested peacefully far below, the moon’s reflection having slid away from its surface.

She would have thought it a dream, but when she turned back, Phoenah’s statuette rested freely on the stones.

***

Tentaarin grinned from his seat at the foot of the path, all smiles and pride as she returns from her isolation. She can see it though, the stiffness, the discomfort in his eyes. As the years had made her grow strong under his tutelage, they made him grow frail. Wrinkles gathered around his eyes, the skin around his neck hung looser than before, and when he walked there was a slight shuffle to his steps.

“Find anything interesting?” he inquired with a playful quirk of his brow.

“I did.” Kata turned the small figure in her hands, her gaze traveling over every nook and protrusion. After a long moment, she turned back to her master. “But I have a suspicion you expected that.”

He gave a noncommittal huff, holding out his hand in a silent request to see.

“Ah, this is lovely,” he hummed, turning the statue and tracing the bird’s feathers. “It will suit you rather well, I think.” Handing the object back, he continued, “This is a sign, Kata. I’ve suspected the time for change was drawing near, and the spirits seem to agree. The full moon rises in two nights. When it does, my student shall surpass me as her teacher.”

“What?” she gasped.

“This is a totem, little one. You’ve been judged by the core of the very Nexus itself, and a spirit has come forth to recognize that you are welcomed there.” He smiled again. “It's telling us you’re ready.”

His blazingly proud face crumpled as a series of coughs wracked his frame, and he quickly pulled a small white handkerchief out of his pocket, letting the fit run its course before tucking it away again with a smile.

But her heart sank, for even as he hurried to hide the evidence, she could see the stains on the fabric. She smiled for his sake, the pieces clicking together for her. He was so happy that she would continue on, and the sadness in his eyes… he would not be continuing on with her.

***

Her heart thudded in her chest as the sun dipped below the horizon. Soon, the moon would rise, and she would take up the mantel as Guardian of the Moon Nexus. Tentaarin had been filling her head with all the small nuances of the tradition and told her she would be acting on her own as guardian. The affirmation sparked her ignition to a long discussion of his health, and her master finally admitted and agreed that his time was short.

Now, as they knelt in the outlook, waiting for their arcanum to reach the height of its power, she felt like a giant messy ball of nerves and excitement. What was coming, both tonight and every night thereafter, filled her with vibrating energy and for the first time in many years, she felt the need to twitch and shuffle as they knelt in meditation.

After what felt like eons compressed into minutes, that same pulling feeling began to wind through her chest, and she opened her eyes to see the edges of that hazy world coiling over the surface of the lake.

The moonlight slid over her form, its magic painting her skin nearly translucent, and she let her head fall back with a sigh, enjoying the sensation.

“So it begins,” whispered her master from his place beside her. “Are you ready?”

“I must be,” she grinned.

Minia’s large form brushed by them, and in a swirl of moonlight, was replaced with the muscled figure of a woman in sturdy leather armor carrying a spear.

“Tentaarin,” she greeted, her voice rich and low. “Kata.”

Behind her, a column of light surged up from the ground, producing Phoenah, who smiled and bowed low, the image striking the younger Moonshadow as something akin to a bird.

“Each Guardian is bound to the Nexus by a familiar,” Minia began. “Tentaarin and I have served for many years, but our time here draws to a close. I ask you now, Apprentice, are you willing to do the same?”

“I… I am,” Kata answered, her voice shaking lightly.

“And are you willing to forsake all that came before; your family, your people, your very being?”

“Yes.”

Minia turned, fixing her gaze on the other spirit. “And who comes to guide this soul in her life?”

“I am Phoenah,” the blue-haired woman said strongly, bowing again. “Daughter of Phyta, daughter of Phisx. I come to serve, and to assist.”

“And you are willing to bind yourself as a familiar?”

“I am.”

“Then we shall proceed,” Minia said softly, turning to Tentaarin. “Do you, Tentaarin, formerly Thaous, son of Torin, son of Darin, believe this Apprentice worthy?” Her master nodded. “And do you have faith in her ability to hold the position with strength?”

“I do,” he said, his voice gruff.

“Then take my hand,” she answered, a small smile gracing her strong features. “We shall know peace as we have known all things- together.”

As her master took the spirit’s hand, light bloomed, engulfing the two of them. When it cleared, Tentaarin stood tall, and his features were youthful once more, as though he’d never borne the burdens of his long life.

“As one departs,” Phoenah spoke. “Another must ascend. You come to us as Kata, but you will leave as another. What this new name will be is up to your discretion, but I stand before you now, and ask to serve.”

The woman knelt on the smooth stone, bowing her head and holding her palms up towards the sky. A soft blue glow began to pulse, wrapping around them.

“Guardian,” she continued. “I ask to be your familiar, from this day to your last day. I ask to be your companion, to be your anchor. What say you?”

“I accept your offer of service,” Kata said, the formal words Tentaarin had instructed her to use rolling easily off her tongue. She clasped the spirit’s fingers in her own, and the blue light grew, nearly to the point of blinding, and Kata could feel something change. There was… _more. _More touch, more sound, more scent in the air. Something coiled around her, no _in _her, and she soon lost place of where she ended and Phoenah began.

Power careened through her veins, even as the bright aura faded to reveal a half-grown, brilliant moon phoenix. But the eyes glinted with the same intensity that she recognized as Phoenah.

The moon spiral was gone, the night sky beginning to give way to the first fingers of dawn, and she could feel her arcanum settling. Tears pricked her eyes, Phoenah cooing, and bushing up against her as she knelt over her former master’s form, laid out reverently across the stone.

***

“Phoe Phoe?”

The moon phoenix perked up from behind a bush, tilting her head with a look of _yes? What is it?_

“We have _company_,” she grinned, pulling on her cloak. “I’m thinking spiders today, how about you?”

Another look. _Oh yes, we haven’t played with spiders in a long time. You should give this one a face!_

She quirked a brow. Now there was an idea.

In the years since her mentor passed and she had taken on the full responsibility of being Guardian, she’d had few encounters with people straying too close. That didn’t mean she shouldn’t be vigilant though, and so she’d spent most of her days walking along the caldera placing markers for future enchantments. The humans had begun to call the area cursed, and for all intents and purposes, that would serve her just fine.

Her illusion beasts had begun popping up along the hillside, a leech here, and a skittering monster there. People would avoid something they feared.

And spiders made humans curl, right up to their pinkos.

Today was no different it seemed, most of the encroaching, five-fingered sneaks quickly fleeing as the large group of enormous arachnids chittered out of the shadows. Only three persisted, and only one of them was brave enough to make it past the churning swath of earth. That one, well, he was brave, and she elected to congratulate that in person. She cast an illusion over herself, blending in with the shadows until she was in the middle of the rocky clearing.

“Who are you?” the human man growled, drawing a blade.

She denied an answer, letting a small flick of her fingers carry magic upwards into the air, forming a winged monstrosity she’d recreated from a literal nightmare. The thing landed beside her with a roar, the human quickly backpedaling, dropping his weapon in the process.

“You’d think people would learn to listen to warnings,” she said, circling the intruder, letting an illusion flitter over her features, painting her skin too pale, her eyes too bright, and letting her smile fill with fangs. “I did try to tell you nicely that you aren’t welcome here.”

She wouldn’t actually hurt him of course, not if she didn’t have to, but the scaring was all part of the contingency plan. If this didn’t break him, she had a whole list of things to completely melt him until no threat remained.

“Who- _what are you?_” His voice cracked, proper fear filling his eyes.

“This place must always have a Guardian.” She smiled darkly, bolstering her illusions all around.

“I am Guardian Lujanne.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it!


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